Attachment for addressing machines



Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,659

R. C. ANDERSON ET AL ATTACHMENT FOR ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17. 1924 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 E11/@77150719 www? -2 Shoots-Sheet 2 Nov, ,l

R. C. ANDERSON ET AL ATTACHMENT Fon ADDREssING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17, 1924 Patented Nov. Z5, 1924.

narrar 4RAY C. ANDERSON AND PAUL A. GOLLNICK, OF C-TCAGO, ILLINOS, ASSIG'NORS TO SPIEGEL MAY STERN COMPANY, OF CHICAGG, iLlfNOlS, A CRPORATION O'F ILL- NOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR ADDRESSTNG MACHINES.

Application filed January 17, 1924.

To all whom t 'may concern Be it known that We, RAY C. ANDnRsoN and PAUL A. GOLLNIOK, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Addressing Machines, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment for an addressing machine and more particularly to an attachment for an addressing machine adapted to make a plurality of impressions from any one of a plurality of stencils.

A specific use of addressing machines of the character described is to imprint addresses upon mail and Where the mailing list is comparatively large it becomes necessary at times to keep a record of the mail sent to a particular adressee. Heretofore lists have been made of the mail forwarded to various addresses but these lists involve an immense amount of labor and have not proven satisfactory.

The object of our invention is broadly 'to provide an improved method for recording the mail forwarded to any particular address.

A further object of our invention is to provide an attachment which may be operated by the mechanism of an addressing machine to record mail forwarded to any particular address.

A still further object of our invention is to provide an attachment of the character described which Will record upon a stencil of an addressing machine each impression made from the stencil so that the stencil Will carry a record of the mail forwarded to any particular address.

Other objects of our invention will become appa-rent as the detail description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying dra-Wings, wherein- Fig. l is a fragmentary section taken through an addressing machine to Which has been applied an attachment embodying the novel features of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism shovvn in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a frame and a type which form parts of the attachment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective of Serial No. 686,766.

certain ribbon guiding mechanism lforming a part of the attachmentshown in F igs.1 and 2, and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a stencil employed in connection with the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Our invention is particularly adapted to be employed in connection with addressing machines which make use of stencils of the type illustrated in Fig. 5. Generally, the addressing machine is provided with a hopper from which the stencils are fed to a printing position, and an inked platen is provided to make an impression through the stencil upon an envelope or the like positioned beneath the stencil. The stencil shown in Fig. 5 is designated by the'reference character and comprises a relatively thin membrane 11 in which suitable characters are cut, the membrane 11 being carried in a cardboard frame 12.

1n Fig. 1 the stencil 10 is shown in printing position of an addressing machine having a frame 13 which supports a Work table la. A platen roller 15 is disposed directly above the stencil 10, the shaft 16 of the platen being rotatably journaled in a plurality of platen arms 17 pivotally mounted in the frame 13 by a pin 18. Formed integral ivith the platen arms 17 is an extension 19 which is connected by a link 2O to a lever 21 pivoted upon a fixed pin 22. The free end of the lever 21 is pivotally connected to a pitman 23 which may be reciprocated by any suitable means. 1f the pitman 23 is caused to move the lever 21 in a clock-Wise direction (Fig. 1) the platen 15 Will be brought down upon the stencil 10 and will imprint the information which is cut in the stencil upon an envelope or the like posi- 9 tioned beneath the stencil and indicated by the reference character 2d. lt is, of course, necessary to ink the platen 15 and in the particular type of addressing machine which is illustrated in the` drawings, the platen 15 is supplied with ink from an ink reservoir 25' by means of a plurality of rollers 26, 27 and 2S, the rollers being driven by any preferred mechanism. It Will be noted that the ink reservoir 25 is supported by a plurality of brackets 30 which are also adapted to rotatably journal the rollers 27 and 28.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, the operator passes an envelope into the printing position, as indicated at 24, and trips a foot lever operatively connected to mechanism which is adapted to drive the addressing machine through a cycle of operations. A stencil is brought into printing position by the machine, and the platen descends and makes an impression of the information carried by the stencil. The several parts of the machine then return to their normal positions and the operator places another envelope in the print-ing position.

We Will nonT describe the attachment which is shown in connection with the above described mechanism and which is the preferred embodiment of our invention.

The preferred embodiment of our invention comprises means for recording upon a stencil each impression taken from the stencil. This means includes a ribbon 431 which, in this instance, may be unwound from a spool 32 and rewound upon a spool 33, the spools being rotatably journalcd upo'n a housing 34 which is detachably secured to one of the brackets by means of "straps 35 and 36. A ratchet 37 rigidly secured to the spool 33 is adapted to be engaged and rotated by suitable means (not shown) Which is actuated by a lever 39 pivotally secured to one of the platen arms 17 by a shoulder screw 40, the means being designed to rotate the ratchet in a clock-wise direction (Fig. 1) when the platen arms swing'downwardly to cause the platen to nrake an impression. rl`he ribbon 31 is then unvvound from the spool 32 and rewound upon the spool 33, means being provided to bring the ribbon in close proximity to the Stencil Ain printing position. Thus it will be noted that the ribbon 31, as it leaves the spool 32, passes over a roller 41 rotatably journaled upon the housing 34, then through a plurality of guides 42, 43, 44 and 45 to a roller 46 also rotatably journaled upon the housing 34 and then to the spool 33. The guides 43 and 44 train. the ribbon 31 to travel transversely of the stencil in printing position and over the left-hand portion of the cardboard frame 12 of the stencil (Fig. 2).

Means carried by the left-hand platen arm 17 (Fig. 2) is adapted to make an impression upon ythe left-hand portion of the cardboard frame 12, the means making the ini- 'pression through the ribbon 31. This means includes a fra-me 47 comprising a plate 48, la v:Z-shaped bracket 49, and aI U-shaped Abracket 50. The brackets 49 and 50 are Aadjustably secured to the plate 48 by screws 51 arranged in slots 52 in the brackets (Fig. 3). The frame 47 is yieldingly mounted up on the left-hand platen arm 17 (Fig. 2) by fine'ans of `-a plurality of screws which pass through slots 54 in the brackets 49 and 50. A plurality of threaded pins 56 having knurled heads 57 are arranged in apertures 58 in the brackets 49 and 50, the pins being threaded into the left-hand platen arm 17 (Fig. 2). Each of the threaded `pins 56 has a compression spring 59 wound around it. The spring has one of its ends resting against the knurled head 57 and the other of its ends resting against the correspond ing bracket. lt is apparent that the frame 47 may move upwardly against the action of the springs 59. i

lhe plate 43 is provided with a plurality of aligned apertures 60 adapted to receive the shank (51 of a type 62, the parts being so proportioned that the shank 61 must be pressed into the apertures. The type 62 may therefore be secured in any one Vof a plurality of positions With respect to the plate 43. 1s best shown in Fig. 2, the type 62 is disposed directly over that portion ofthe ribbon 31 which is trained to travel transversely ofthe stencil 10. lt is readily understood that When the platen 15 is swung downwardly to make an impression of 'the information carried by the stencil 10, the type G2 will make an impression upon the cardboard frame 12, this impression being made through the ribbon 31. The impression may be made in either one ofztWo parallel fields 63 and 64, the field 63 being indicated by a row of dotted characters and thel field G4 being indicated by a row of characters in lull lines (Fig. 5). In Fig. 2. we have shown the type 62 positioned to print in the field (i4, but it Will be under- 1 stood that the frame 47 may be actuated relative to the platen arm 17 so that the type will print in the neld 63, the slots 52 and screws 51 being adapted to permit such adjustment. The type may be positioned to 105 print in any oneof a `plurality of places in either of the lields and the type may vbe associated With any one of the holes 60 in the plate 40. ne. aforementioned springs may be adjusted by means of the pins 110 36 to control the force with which the type presses upon the stencil 10, the springs also tending to yield if a comparatively thick stencil is brought into printing position.

ln some instances, it may be necessary Vto 115 record more impressions upon the stencil l() than can be recorded in the two fields o3 and G4. lf this condition obtains, the above described mechanism for recording the impressions made by the platen may be 120 removed from the left hand side of the machine and attached Vto the right hand side of the machine, as indicated by dotted lines at 65 which will permit the mechanism to record the impressions inthe fields '66 and 125 G7 at the right hand edge of the stencil (Fig.

Our improved attachment permits an accurate record to he kep-t of all mail sent. to any particular addressee and this Without the necessity of keeping a plurality of separate lists. A glance at any stencil will show just What mail has been forwarded to the address carried by the stencil as each circular letter or the like may be identified by a selected numeral or symbol. The advantage of this method of listing the mail sent to the various addresses of the mailing list is obvious.

Using this attachment in connection with our improved selector mechanism for addressing machines, which forms the subjectmatter' of a companion application tiled concurrently herewith and bearing Serial No. 686,767, We have an absolute check against the efficiency of the selector, as every stencil that is selected and addressed carries a record of that particular addressing so that we can, by checking against the perforation of the stencilsv after addressing, determine Whether or not the selector is functioning satisfactorily.

We are avvare that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit and Without sacrificing the advantages of the invention and We reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

lVe cla-im:

l. In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a stencil, means carried by the arm for making a record of the impression upon the stencil, and means yieldingly urging said record making means toward said stencil.

2. In an addressing machine, the combination of a movable platen operable to an impression from a stencil, means movable with the platen for recording the impression upon the stencil, and means for securing said recording means in a selected position relative to the platen.

3. In an addressing machine, the combination With a movable platen operable to make an impression from a stencil, means for recording the operation upon the stencil, and means for securing the last mentioned means in a selected position relative to the platen.

4. ln an addressing machine, the combination of a movable platen operable to make an impression from a stencil, an inking ribbon, and means cooperating with the ribbon and actuated by the platen for recording the operation upon the stencil.

5. In an addressing machine, the combination of a movable platen operable to make an impression from a stencil, an inking ribbon, and means cooperating Wit-h the ribbon and movable with the platen for recording the operation upon the stencil.

6. In an addressing machine, the combination of a movable platen operable to make an impression from a stencil, an inking ribbon, means cooperating With the ribbon for recording the operation upon the stencil, and means operated by movement of the pla-ten for feeding the ribbon.

7. In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a stencil, means carried by the arm for making a record of the impression upon the stencil, means yieldingly urging said record making means toward said stencil, and means for adjusting said yielding means.

8. ln an addressing machine the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a stencil, a plate slidably mounted on said arm and having means to receive a type, means for adjusting said plate relative to the arm to bring' said type into the desired position relative to said stencil, and means resiliently urging said plate toward said stencil.

9. In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a stencil, a plate mounted on said arm and having a plurality of alined apertures to receive type, and said apertures being disposed above the edge of a stencil.

l0. in an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a. platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a. stencil, a plate mounted on said arm and having a plurality of alined apertures to receive type, and said apertures being disposed above the edge of a stencil, and means to adjust said plate on said arm to vary the position of said alined apertures with respect to said stencil.

l1. ln an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from aI stencil, a plate adjustably mounted on said arm, means yieldingly urging said plate toward said stencil, means for adjusting said yielding means, type carried by said plate and a ribbon passing under said plate in position to be engaged by said type in any adjusted position of said plate.

l2. ln an addressing machine, the combi nation of a pivotally mounted arm, a platen carried by the arm for making an impression from a stencil, a plate adjustably mounted on said arm, means yieldingly urging said plate toward said stencil, means for adjusting said yielding means, type carried by said plate and a ribbon passing under said plate in position to be engaged by said type in any adjusted position of said plate, and means for feeding said ribbon operated by said platen.

RAY C. ANDERSON. PAUL A. GOLLNICK. 

